General Awareness - 2 (Sectional Officer)

It is a bacterial disease of the skeletal muscles & is caused by the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus.

Nishant is an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) developed by India's ADE (Aeronautical Development Establishment). It is a pilotless aircraft used for reconnaissance and surveillance, unlike Tejas which is a manned fighter aircraft.

Mustard gas (sulfur mustard) was extensively used as a chemical weapon in World War I, causing severe blistering and respiratory damage. It was first used by Germany in 1917. Carbon monoxide is a toxic gas but not used as a weapon in WWI. Hydrogen cyanide (Zyklon B) was used later in WWII. Water gas is a fuel mixture, not a weapon.

From a business perspective, Marketing is often considered the most important function because it directly connects the business to customers, generates revenue, and creates value. Without effective marketing, even the best products and efficient operations cannot generate sales. Finance manages money, Operations creates products, but Marketing ensures customers buy them.

It is based on the length of the cigarettes.
The excise duty, which is to be paid on cigarette, depends on its length. For instance, excise duty of Rs. 15 per 1000 cigarettes is levied on cigarettes up to length of 60 mm.

Fundamental Rights universally apply to all citizens, irrespective of race, place of birth, religion, caste, creed, colour or gender. They are enforceable by all the courts, subject to certain restrictions.

Cooking oil is a plant, animal or synthetic fat used in frying, baking and other types of cooking. It is also used in food preparation and flavoring that doesn't involve heat, such as salad dressings and bread dips, and in this sense might be more accurately termed edible oil. When vanaspati is made, trans fatty acids are also produced; these increase the risk of heart disease when consumed in excess and are best avoided.

Correct option is (2). 

Yes, Nachiket Mor Committee has recommended financial inclusion. 

Saare Jahan Se Achha was written by Muhammad Iqbal (Allama Iqbal) in 1904 and is one of the most enduring patriotic songs in South Asia. Iqbal was a philosopher, poet, and politician who wrote this poem in thePersian script as an anthem for Hindu-Muslim unity during the colonial period. The song remains popular in both India and Pakistan, though Iqbal later became associated with the Pakistan movement.

The States Reorganisation Commission (SRC) was appointed in 1953 with three members: Justice Fazl Ali (Chairman), K.M. Panikkar, and Hridayanath Kunzru. Potti Sriramulu was NOT a member - he was a Telugu freedom fighter who died in December 1952 after a fast unto death for Andhra state, which actually CREATED the momentum that led to the SRC's formation. His death preceded the commission's appointment.

Okan and Richardson defined economic development as sustained improvement in material well-being measured through goods and services flow. This emphasizes the process aspect and measurement through output indicators. M. A. Jassawalla focused on Indian development economics, while Adam Smith and Karl Marx are classical economists but their definitions differ.

ICICI was established as a specialized financial institution to provide foreign currency loans and promote international financing. While IDBI (A) and IFCI (B) were development financial institutions, ICICI had a specific mandate for foreign currency operations. SFC (D) refers to State Financial Corporations which focused on state-level financing.

Under the Indian Constitution, the President is the competent authority to declare war or conclude peace treaties, though this is done on the advice of the Council of Ministers. While Parliament approves declarations and the Prime Minister leads the executive branch, formal constitutional power vests in the President as head of state.

The Atharva Veda is the correct answer as it contains hymns, spells, and incantations for everyday life, including magical charms and spells for protection, healing, and various purposes. The Rig Veda primarily contains hymns praising deities, Yajur Veda focuses on ritual formulas and sacrifices, while Sama Veda consists of musical melodies derived from Rig Vedic hymns.

Under Article 156 of the Constitution, the Governor holds office during the pleasure of the President. Therefore, resignation must be addressed to the President, not the Chief Minister, Speaker, or Prime Minister.

Kapilavastu was the capital city of the Sakyas (Shakyas), the clan into which Buddha was born. It's located in modern-day Nepal. Kesaputta, Amalkappa, and Magadh were places associated with Buddha's life but not the Sakya capital.

EFTA currently has four member countries: Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland. Greece was never a member of EFTA; it joined the EEC (now EU) in 1981.

UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) was established on November 16, 1946, shortly after World War II to promote international collaboration through education, science, and culture. Option B (1946) is correct.

The UN Security Council held its first session on January 17, 1946, at Church House in London. This date marks its operational beginning after the UN Charter came into force. Option C (17 January, 1946) is correct.

Thomas Hobbes, in his work Leviathan (1651), famously described the state of nature as a 'war of all against all' (bellum omnium contra omnes), where life is 'solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short.' Option B (Hobbes) is correct.

Pericles (c. 495-429 BCE) was the most famous ruler of ancient Athens during its Golden Age. He championed democracy, sponsored the arts (including the Parthenon), and led Athens through the Peloponnesian War. Option D (Pericles) is correct.

Unemployment leads to poverty because individuals without income cannot afford basic necessities. While unemployment can correlate with other social issues, poverty is the most direct and immediate consequence. Option C (poverty) is correct.

An opaque medium is one through which light cannot pass - it either absorbs or reflects all light. Transparent materials allow light to pass through clearly, while translucent materials allow partial passage. Option B (opaque) is correct.

Methane (CH4) is the primary component of both biogas (50-75%) and compressed natural gas (CNG, 90%+). It's a simple hydrocarbon and clean-burning fuel. Options A, C, and D are other hydrocarbons (acetylene, ethane, ethylene) but are not major components of these gas mixtures. Option B (CH4) is correct.

If the coil is not moved in a magnetic field, then the magnetic flux linked with the coil does not change. Hence, no emf or current is induced in the coil. Thus, the correct choice is (4).

 It is in Monopoly.
In monopoly there is a single producer of a product or service and there are no substitutes of a product or service. Hence if the monopolist increases the price of its product, the consumer cannot demand for its substitutes. For example to travel by rail transport in India, the traveller has no other option but to travel in Indian Railways whether the ticket fare is low or high. Its because Indian Railways has monopoly in rail transport, hence the cross elastcity of demand is zero in this market. 

Option (3) is correct: Article 130 permits the Supreme Court to have a seat outside Delhi. 

Colloidal solutions are heterogeneous mixtures having two separate phases called dispersed phase and dispersing medium. The solute like component which has been dispersed or distributed throughout in a solvent like medium is called the dispersed phase while the solvent like medium in which the dispersed phase has been distributed is called the dispersion medium. Depending on the dispersion medium and dispersed phase, colloids can be of different types. An aerosol is a colloid in which the dispersed phase is liquid and the dispersion medium is gas, for e.g. fog, clouds, etc. Solid aerosol is a colloid in which dispersed phase is solid and dispersion medium is gas. For e.g. smoke, dust-storm. Thus, dispersed phase in aerosol can be liquid or solid.

'Elasticity of demand' refers to the change in demand due to change in price.
In case of necessities, there will be no effect of the change in price on the demand for these goods, which are considered as the basic necessities of life. Consumers will buy these necessities even when their prices will increase.

The main copper sulphide minerals are chalcopyrite (CuFeS₂) chalcocite (Cu₂S), covellite (CuS), bornite (Cu₅FeS₄), tetrahedrite ((Cu,Fe)₁₂Sb₄S₁₃) and enargite (Cu₃AsS₄).

Au is the chemical symbol for gold, derived from the Latin word 'aurum'. Gold is a noble metal known for its yellow luster, resistance to corrosion, and historical use in currency and jewelry. Silver (Ag), Copper (Cu), and Aluminium (Al) each have their own distinct symbols.

Reserve Bank of India

SIDBI (Small Industries Development Bank of India) is the primary financial institution dedicated to promoting and financing micro, small, and medium enterprises. NABARD focuses on agriculture, RBI regulates all banking, and SEBI regulates securities markets - none specifically run SME exchanges.

Financial inclusion specifically refers to making financial services accessible to underserved and underprivileged populations, particularly those from low-income groups or rural areas. It does not refer to serving finance companies, analyzing balance sheets, or focusing on HNIs (high-net-worth individuals).

Currency notes in India are designed and printed at the Security Printing and Minting Corporation of India Limited (SPMCIL) facilities, including the Currency Note Press in Nashik (misspelled as Nasik). The RBI distributes currency but does not print it. 'Security Press, Bombay' and 'Noida' are not correct locations for note printing.

INSAT-1D was an Indian communications satellite launched from the Chandipur testing range in Odisha (formerly Orissa) using an indigenous launch vehicle. Cape Canaveral (USA), Kyato (Japan), and Bordeaux (France) are not correct launch sites for this specific satellite.

The Statue of Liberty was a gift from France to the United States in 1886, commemorating the alliance between the two nations during the American Revolution. It was designed by French sculptor Frederic Auguste Bartholdi. England, Spain, and Germany were not involved in this gift.

The term 'fascio' in Italian literally means 'a bundle' or 'a bundle of rods' bound together around an axe, symbolizing strength through unity. This symbol was used in ancient Rome and adopted by Mussolini's fascist movement. 'Bundle of sticks' is essentially the same concept, but 'bundle of rods' is the more precise historical term.

In accounting, the equation 'Closing Capital + Drawings = Opening Capital' represents the relationship between capital accounts when drawings are deducted from profit. This follows from: Opening Capital + Profit - Drawings = Closing Capital. Therefore, Closing Capital + Drawings = Opening Capital + Profit, and when profit is included, it equals Opening Capital.

Option (2) is correct: The Supreme Court originally consisted of seven judges besides the Chief Justice.

The 2014 Commonwealth Games were hosted by Glasgow, Scotland. London hosted in 2014 is incorrect (1934, 2014 was Glasgow), Rio de Janeiro is not a Commonwealth host, and Melbourne hosted in 2006, not 2014.

Sukumar Sen served as the first Chief Election Commissioner of India from 1950 to 1958, overseeing the first two general elections. T. Swaminathan, T.S. Krishna Murthy, and K.V.K. Sundaram were all subsequent CECs, not the first.

Tansen, originally named Ramtanu Pandey, was one of the nine gems (Navaratnas) in Emperor Akbar's court. He was a legendary classical musician. Baz Bahadur, Makaranda Pande, and Lal Kalwant are not associated with Tansen's original name.

The Wadden Sea Agreement is aimed at the protection of seals.

Option (3) is correct. 

Protozoa are single-celled eukaryotic organisms that belong to the kingdom Protista. They are not multicellular, not prokaryotic (bacteria), and are ecologically and medically important as pathogens, parasites, and decomposers. 'Unimportant' is factually incorrect.

Correct Answer: The Supreme Court

MRI technology uses the principles of nuclear magnetic resonance, where hydrogen nuclei in water molecules align with and are disturbed by magnetic fields. This creates signals that computers convert into detailed anatomical images. Electron spin resonance involves electron spins, not nuclei, and diamagnetism is a weak property unrelated to MRI.

 A person suffering from AIDS finally dies due to other infections because the AIDS virus- HIV weakens the immune system.

They are called creepers.

Correct Answer: biosphere

Ranikhet disease, also known as Newcastle disease, is a highly contagious viral disease specifically affecting poultry. Anthrax affects multiple species including humans, Foot and Mouth disease affects cloven-hoofed animals like cattle and pigs, and Pebrine is a disease of silkworms.

Isotopes are variants of a particular chemical element which differ in the mass number, although all isotopes of a given element have the same number of protons in each atom.

Krishnaraja Sagar Dam is located in Mysore, Karnataka. It was built across the Cauvery River and named after Maharaja Krishnaraja Wadiyar IV. Kota and Udaipur are in Rajasthan, while Hyderabad is in Telangana.

Anand G. Mahindra became the first Indian to receive the prestigious Harvard Medal.

Overgrazing is not an effect of deforestation. Overgrazing means to permit animals to graze excessively that results in the depletion of forests. So, it can lead deforestation.

Rainwater is the primary source that maintains and replenishes the water table through infiltration into the ground. Wells, springs, and sea water are not sources that replenish groundwater - wells and springs extract from it, while seawater is separate and doesn't recharge freshwater aquifers.

A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth, blocking the Sun's light. Option A would create an extremely rare event, Option B describes a lunar eclipse, and Option C describes quarter moon phases when the Moon is at right angles to the Earth-Sun line.

Woodrow Wilson was the primary architect of the League of Nations, proposing it in his Fourteen Points speech after WWI. Abraham Lincoln died decades before the League was conceived, Franklin Roosevelt was involved in the later UN, and George Washington preceded the League by over a century.

The first Governor-General of India was appointed under the provisions of the Act of 1773. 

Crop selection is the most critical initial requirement for dry farming as it determines which drought-resistant varieties can survive with minimal moisture. Shallow ploughing and texture development are secondary practices, while animal husbandry is unrelated to the core requirement.

Rabindranath Tagore suggested celebrating October 16, 1905 as Rakhi Bandhan Day to protest the partition of Bengal, symbolizing Hindu-Muslim unity against the British divide-and-rule policy. The tradition involved tying rakhis as a gesture of brotherhood and solidarity.

Carbohydrates provide 4.1 kcal/g, proteins provide 5.65 kcal/g, and fats provide 9.45 kcal/g. This explains why fats are the most energy-dense macronutrients at over twice the caloric density of carbohydrates. Option D is incorrect as these are standard physiological fuel values.

Correct option is (1).

M.V. Kamath authored 'Gandhi: A Spiritual Journey' exploring Gandhi's spiritual evolution. Mark Tully wrote on contemporary India, K.N. Raj was an economist, Ramchandra Gandhi was a philosopher (and Gandhi's grandson), and Indira Gandhi was a Prime Minister, not author of this specific book.

Archaeological evidence shows horses were not in regular use in the Indus Valley Civilization, unlike elephants, cows, and bulls which are prominently featured in seals and remains. Horse remains appear only in later periods, suggesting horses were introduced after the civilization's decline.

National Income equals GNP at market prices minus depreciation, then adjusted for indirect taxes (subtract) and subsidies (add). This represents the net value of goods and services produced. Option B incorrectly subtracts net factor income from abroad (that's for NNP), and Option D adds factor income instead of adjusting for taxes/subsidies.

Option (3) is correct. 

 Super normal profits are for the small period. In the long run all monopolistic firms earn normal profits. 

The first Indian satellite was Aryabhatta.